Adhesive applying mechanism



Oct. 15, 1963 A. w. ANDERSON ETAL ADHESIVE APPLYING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 2, 1960 s Sheeis-Sheet 1 1N VEN TOR. ANDREW W. ANDER6ON MARTIN E. LESZCZYNSKI A T70 RNE United States Patent 3,167,182 ADEESIVE APPLYING MECHANISM Andrew W. Anderson, West Caldwell,

Leszczynski, Jersey City, N..I., assignors to Scandia Packaging Machinery Qompany, North Arlington,

Ni, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Aug. 2, 1960, Ser. No. 47,026 4 Claims. (1. 118-252) This invention relates to adhesive applying mechanism for wrapping machines.

The invention, more particularly stated, relates to mechanism for applying an adhesive to and sealing a wrapper of material, such as polyethylene. Material such as this has been found to be very difficnlt to seal.

This invention has for its salient object to apply sealing adhesive, such as wax, to the folds of a polyethylene wrapper.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple, practical and eflicient means for applying an adhesive, such as melted wax, to the folds of a wrapper, and control means for regulating and controlling the area of application of the adhesive.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following specification taken in connection with the drawings which form a part of this application, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of mechanism embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the mechanisrn for feeding the wax to the wrapper;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view showing the various parts of the wax applying or feeding disk;

FIG. 6 is a detail view showing the two parts of the cam for controlling the Wax feeding mechanism, these parts being shown in separated position;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the wrapped package and the adhesive applied to one fold thereof;

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of a modified form of adhesive applicator;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged vertical section of the applicator shown in FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a transverse stantially on line 1iiil(l of tion of the arrows.

In the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the packages P are fed in any suitable manner along a table having side walls 16 and 17.

The articles are wrapped by folding the wrapper around one side thereof, with the ends of the wrapper projecting beyond the opposite side thereof and beyond the ends thereof. The ends of the wrapper are tucked in the usual manner and the flaps are folded over the ends in overlapping relation. Moreover, the ends of the wrapper which project beyond the side thereof are also tucked and the flaps are folded down, one against the side and the other into overlapping relation therewith. In order to seal the wrapper, adhesive is applied to the inner fold at the ends and at the side of the wrapper and the other flap is then folded over the inner fold and sealed thereto by the adhesive. No novelty is claimed in the folding mechanism and, therefore, it is not shown in detail.

The novelty to be described and claimed in the present application resides in the means for applying the adhesive to the inner flaps as the wrapped packages are fed along the table 15. As the articles are fed along the table, folding mechanism 18 folds the inner flaps 19 down against the sides of the articles and the outer flaps 20 project plan view of the structure shown in sectional elevation taken sub- FIG. 9, looking in the direcand Martin E.

3-,lh7,l82 Patented Oct. 15, 1963 ice outwardly from the table 15 through slots 21 in the wall 17 at the side of the table. The wall 17 is also slotted, as shown at 2.2, to permit the adhesive feeding means about to be described to project therethrough and to contact with the inner folded flap 19.

The adhesive feeding wheel is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 3 and 4 and will next be described and thereafter the mounting and drive of this wheel will be described.

The adhesive applying mechanism comprises a hollow shaft 25 mounted in ball bearings 26 and 27 carried by a bushing or sleeve 28. The hollow shaft 25 has threaded thereon a bushing 29, which is held by a set screw 36', and which has a peripheral groove 31 which receives a belt 32 which drives the bushing 29 and the hollow shaft 25.

The threaded extension of the hollow shaft has also threaded thereon a sleeve 35 provided with a flange 36 at the upper end thereof. The flange 36 has formed thereon an upwardly extending sleeve 37 and the sleeve has a series of radial openings 38 and 39 through which the adhesive, such as melted wax, passes to the adhesive conducting or feeding means.

A sleeve 40 having a flange 41 at the bottom thereof surrounds the sleeve 37 and the flange is secured by bolts 4-2 to the sleeve 35. It will be noted particularly from the showing in FIG. 4 that a pair of disks 45 and 46 are secured between the flanges 36 and 41 and extend outwardly from the outer edges of the flanges and through the slot 22 in the wall 17.

A reservoir casing 50 is threaded, as shown at 51, to the upper end of the sleeve 40, and a cap 52 closes the upper end of the reservoir casing. Wax is placed in this casing and passes downwardly into the hollow sleeve 37 through a bore 53. The wax is melted by means of a heater 54- which extends upwardly in the sleeve 25 and is carried by a disk 55 bolted to the bottom of the bushing or sleeve 28.

Between the disks 45 land 46 are secured wire mesh disks and 61, two being shown. These disks of fine Wire mesh extend outwardly between the disks 45 and 46 and extend inwardly to the well 62 formed in the hollow sleeve 37. As the wax in the reservoir chamber 51) is melted, it will flow downwardly through the bore 53 and into the wheel 62 and will be conducted laterally to the peripheries of the disks 45 and 46 by centrifugal force, being carried by the mesh screens 69 and 61. The disks 45 and 46 are recessed to form a pocket for the adhesive or wax which is picked up by the screens 60 and 61.

As the packages are fed along the platform 15, the adhesive is applied by the wheel formed by the disks 45 and 46 to the outer surface of the folded flap, as shown at 63 in FIG. 7.

The feeding and control mechanism for the adhesive applying wheel will now be described.

The bushing 28 is mounted in a bar 70 which forms one end of a lever 71 which is pivoted at 72 and has its other end 7 3 extending in the opposite direction from the bar 70. The portion 73 of the lever has mounted thereon a roller 74 which engages a cam 75 and is held in contact therewith by a spring 76.

The purpose of the cam control for the lever 70 is to control the area of application of the adhesive to the flap and to prevent adhesive being applied beyond the flap, as, for instance, over the tucks, as shown at in FIG. 7. The cam 75 is illustrated in detail in FIG. 6 and, as shown, comprises a pair of superposed disks 81 and 82, the disk 81 being slotted, and the disks 82 and 81 being held in adjust-ed position by bolts extending through the slots in disk 81 into disk 82. As one of these disks is moved axially relative to the other, the cam portions 83 and 84 can be moved into registration or one of the portions can overlap the other, thus extending the length of the cam. In this manner the cam can be adjusted to hold the adhesive applying wheel into contact with the flap for the desired distance or length.

The cams are mounted on a shaft 85 carried by a frame member 86 arid the cam shaft is driven by a bevel gear connection 87, 88 to a shaft 89, which in turn is driven from a shaft 96 by a bevel gear connection 91, 92. The shaft 98 is driven from any suitable source of power and, as shown is driven by a chain 93 and sprocket wheel 94. The sleeve 95 extends upwardly beyond the cam disks Si, 82 and is connected by a belt 96 to a sleeve 97 mounted on the pivot spindle '72. The sleeve 97 is connected by the belt 32 to the sleeve 29 shown in FIG. 3. In this manner the adhesive applying wheel comprising the disks 45, 46 is rotated and the wheel is controlled in its application of the adhesive to the folded flap by the cam 75, which comprises sections 83, 84.

As the package with the wrapper thereon moves along the table, the flap 2%} is folded over the flap 1% by suitable folding mechanism 9.? of the usual construction, thus sealing the wrapper. It will be understood that similar adhesive applying mechanism operates to apply adhesive to the end folds in the same manner as the mechanism above described applies it to the side flaps 19 and 20. V

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 8 to inclusive, the adhesive applying mechanism oomprises a sleeve or barrel 1% which is threaded on the upper end of the hollow shafit 25.

The sleeve 10% has a flange 161 at its upper end and an annular recess 182 with a shoulder 103.

The sleeve or 'barrel 1% has a central, upwardly extending sleeve 165 which is externally threaded at its upper end, as shown at 1%. Radial openings 1G7 extend laterally through sleeve 195 from the central bore 198 of sleeve 1&5.

The upper end of sleeve 105 has an inwardly extend- A; adhesive is to be applied. Thus, the valve portion 126 is pushed away from walls 119 and 120, permitting the adhesive from the bore 198 and openings 107 to reach ing, threaded, flange or cap 110, into which is threaded the lower end 51 of the reservoir or casing 50.

A sleeve 115' encircles the sleeve and is held down by a nut 116. The sleeve has an outwardly extending flange .117 at its lower end and has an annular recess 118.

A ring-shaped valve 125 formed of resilient or elastic material, such as rubber, and L-shaped in section, is mounted in the recess 1G2 and has its right angled portion 126 of the L valve extending upwardly into the recess 118 and normally against the internal walls 119 and 120 of annular flanges 10d and 117. The valve is held in recess 102 by a washer 184 which rests on shoulder 163. The outer ends of the disks stormed by flanges 1G1 and 117 are tapered, as shown at 122 and 123, and a flat washer 127 of porous material, such as a porous metal, is mounted between the outer peripheral portions of the flanges or disks 161 and 117. The inner peripheral portion of the washer +127 is adapted to engage the vertical valve portion 126, as shown at the right in FIG. 9, when the outer periphery of the Washer 127 engages the wrapper flap to which the porous washer 127 and thus be conducted to the wrapper flap as the wheel formed by disks or flanges 101 and 117 is rotated. In this manner, pressure on the periphery of washer 127 opens the valve 125 and permits the adhesive to flow and reach the washer.

Although certain specific embodiments of the invention have been particularly shown and described, it will be understood that the invention is capable of further modification and that changes in the construction and in the arrangement of the various cooperating parts may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, as expressed in the following claims.

Vi -hat we claim is:

1. Adhesive applying mechanism for wrapping machines having means for feeding a wrapped package and comprising a storage well, a rotary wheel having a passage through the periphery thereof, a porous washer mounted in said wheel and extending through the periphery thereof, and a valve in the wheel for controlling the passage of adhesive from the storage well to the washer, said valve being opened by pressure on the periphery of the washer.

2. Adhesive applying mechanism for wrapping machines having means for feeding a wrapped package and comprising a storage well, -a rotary wheel having a passage through the periphery thereof, a porous washer mounted in said wheel and extending through the periphery thereof, and a flexible, resilient valve in the Wheel for controlling the passage of adhesive from the storage well to the washer, said valve being opened by pressure on the periphery of the washer.

3. Adhesive applying mechanism for wrapping machines having means ror feeding a wrapped package and comprising a storage well, a rotary wheel having a passage through the periphery thereof, a porous Washer mounted in said wheel and extending through the periphery thereof, and :a valve, L-shaped in section, mounted in the Wheel for controlling the passage of adhesive from the storage well to the Washer, said valve being opened by pressure on the periphery of the washer.

4. Adhesive applying mechanism for Wrapping machines having means for feeding a wrapped package and comprising a storage well, a rotary wheel having a passage through the periphery thereof, a porous washer mounted in said wheel and extending through the periphery thereof, and a flexible valve, L-shaped in section, mounted in the wheel for controlling the passage of adhesive from the storage Well to the washer, said valve being opened by pressure on the periphery of the washer.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

2. ADHESIVE APPLYING MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING MACHINES HAVING MEANS FOR FEEDING A WRAPPED PACKAGE AND COMPRISING A STORAGE WELL, A ROTARY WHEEL HAVING A PASSAGE THROUGH THE PERIPHERY THEREOF, A POROUS WASHER MOUNTED IN SAID WHEEL AND EXTENDING THROUGH THE PERIPHERY THEREOF, AND A FLEXIBLE, RESILIENT VALVE IN THE WHEEL FOR CONTROLLING THE PASSAGE OF ADHESIVE FROM THE STORAGE WELL TO THE WASHER, SAID VALVE BEING OPENED BY PRESSURE ON THE PERIPHERY OF THE WASHER. 